VILLA CARDS1955-1959

Football is a game of highs and lows, and in the late-50s, Villa had both. Pride was restored with a record-breaking seventh FA Cup win against a much-fancied Manchester United, and a couple more semis kept the club at the fighting end of the competition. But somehow calamity came again with a bleak relegation in 1959.

1958: Barratt (sweets) - Famous FootballersSewell's card is again almost identical to the 1956 and 1957 issues.

[1] Jackie Sewell

[2] Peter McParland

1958: Lamberts of Norwich (tea) - Football Clubs and BadgesThis card appears to have been issued several times. Amalgamated Tobacco re-issued the set in 1961, and other variants are known - including overseas printings.

[2] Aston Villa

1958: D C Thomson (comics) - World Cup FootballersCards given out with the comics, Adventure, The Hotspur, The Rover and The Wizard. The one Villa card was issued on 14 June.

[11] Peter McParland

1958: Master Vending - Cardmaster Football TipsIssued on white or grey card. Each card was issued twice, with different card numbers.

1958: Chix (bubble gum) - Famous Footballers (No. 3 Series)Varieties of each card are known. Derek Pace's card also exists with him in a Sheffield United kit.

[21] Jackie Sewell

[22] Derek Pace

[42] Pat Saward

1958-59: A & BC (chewing gum) - Footballer

[18] Peter McParland

[40] John Dixon

1958-59: Fleetway Publications (comics) - Football TeamsGiven away in sheets of four cards with Lion boys' magazine. The Villa card had a Preston North End card joined underneath. A second, similar, card was issued the following year in the related Tiger comic.

Aston Villa FC

1959: Master Vending (Cardmaster) - Did You Know

[5] Pat Saward

[44] Jimmy Dugdale

1959: Clevedon Confectionery (sweets) - Football Club ManagersTwo versions of each card available, with differing colours.

[35] Eric Houghton

1959: Sweetule Products (sweets) - Football Club NicknamesNote that Villa's nickname is given incorrectly as 'Villains'.

[2] Aston Villa

1959: Barratt (sweets) - Famous Footballers

[7] Peter McParland

1959: D C Thomson ('The Wizard' comic) - Football Stars of 1959Printed in sheets of eight. The Villa card was included in the sheet given away on on 7 November.

[44] Ron Wylie

1959: Cadet (sweets) - Footballers

[3] Peter McParland

[12] Leslie Smith

1959-60: Fleetway Publications (comics) - Football TeamsGiven away in sheets of two cards with Tiger boys' magazine. The Villa card came joined to a Cardiff City card.